The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1887-12-15

which should be fully realized, and
though it presents features wrong TO
the people as we'll as to the country,
it is but . result growing out Of q
perfectly palpable and apparent
cause constantly reproducing the
same alarming circumstances-ac con-
gested national treasury aud de-
pleted monetary condition in the bus
mess of the country It need hard
ly be stated that while the present
situation demands a remedy, we caa
only be saved from like predica-
ment in the future by the removal of
its cause.
TIE TARIFF.
Our scheme Of taxation-by means
of which this needless surplus is TAX
en- from the people and put into the
| public treasury, consists of tariff of
duty levied upon Importation from
abroad and internal revenue taxes
| levied on the consumption of tobacco
and spirituous and malt liquors.
It must be conceded that none of
the things subjected to interanal rev.
enue tax are strictly speak
ing necessaries. There appears to
be no just complaint of this taxation
by the consumers of these articles
and there seems to be nothing so we'll
able TO bear the burden without hard
| ship to any portion of the people. But
our present tariff laws, the vicious.
inequisable and illogical source OF
unnecessary taxation, ought to be af
| once revised and amended. These
laws as their primary and plain effect
raise the price to consumers of all ar
ticles imported and subject to duty
| by precisely the sum paid for such
duties. Thus the amount of the
duty measures the tax paid by those
WHO puI chase for use those imported
articles. Many Of these things, how
ever, are raised or manufactured in
our own country, and the duties now
levied upon foreign goods and pro-
ducts ere called protection ta, these
home manufactures, because they
render it possible for those Of our
people who are manufacturers to
make these taxed articles and sell
them on demand for imported goods
that have paid customs duty. So il
happens that while comparatively
few use the imported articles, most
OF our people who never use and
never SAW any Of the foreign products
purchase and use things of the same
kind made in this country and pay
therefor nearly or quite the same en-
HANGED price which the duty adds to
the imported articles. Those vino
buy imports pay the duty charged
thereon into the public treasury, but
the great majority eff our citizens who
buy domestic articles of the same
class pay sum at least approximate
ly equal to this duty to the home
| manufacturers. This reference to the
operation of our tariff laws is not
made by way of instruction, but in
order that we may be constantly re-
minded of the manner in which they
impose burden upon those who
consume domestic products as we'll
as those who consume imported arti-
cles. and thus create a tax upon all
our people.
1t is not proposed to entirely re-
lleve the country of this taxation. 1t
must be extensively continued as the
source of the government income;
and in readjustment of our tariff
the interests of American labor en-
gagged in manufacture should be care
fully considered, as we'll as the pres
ervatiOn of our manufactures. 1t
may be called protection or by any
other name but relief from the hard
ships and dangers of our present
tariff laws should be devised with
especial precaution against imperil-
ing the existence of our manufactur-
ing interests. But this should not
mean q condition which, without re-
gard to the public welfare or nation
al exigencv, must always insure the
realization Of immense profits instead
of moderately profitable returns. AS
the volume and diversity of our Ma.
tlonal activity increase, new recruits
are aided to those who desire a con-
tinuation of the advantages which
they conceive the present system of
tariff taxation directly affords them.
So stuobornly haye all efforts to re-
form the. present condition been re.
| sisted by those of our fellow-citizens
/ thus engaged that they can hardly
complain ofthe suspicion entertained
| to a certain extent that there exists
an organized combinatinn all along
| the line to mainta n their advantage.
THE INFANT INDUSTRIES.
| We are in the midst of centennial
celebrations and with becoming pride
we rejoice in American skill and in
genuity, In American energy and en-
terprise and in the wonderful nasural
advantages and resources developed
by our country's natural growth.
Yet when an attempt is made to JUS
tify a scheme which permits tax to
be laid upon every consumer in the
land for the benefit of our manufac-
! turers, quite beyond reasonable de-
mand for governmental regard, it
suits the purposes of its advocates
to call our manufactures infant in
dustries that greater degree of fa-
vor and fostering care may be wrung
from federal legislation.
1t is also said that the increase in
the price of domestic manufactures,
resulting from the present tariff is
necessary in order that higher wages
may be paid to our workingnen en-
| ployed in manufactures than is paid
for what is called the pauper labor of
Europe.
AMERICAN LABOR.
All will acknowledge the force of